Before parents turned to Amazon for Halloween costumes, and long prior to Etsy storefronts and YouTube tutorials, there were pattern books, fabric swatches and hours spent learning from a parent or grandparent in the aisles of Jo-Ann Fabrics. Many of us remember the joys of roaming the fabric aisles. Armed with pen, pattern and imagination, any design was possible.
Grandmothers shopped for the patchwork they’d use to make heirloom quilts for newborn grandchildren. Mothers frantically scoured aisles in search of posterboard and other supplies for big class projects. Bored children accompanying them flipped the metal racks of fabric samples from side to side and got as close as possible to boxes of sharp needles and pins. Jo-Ann Fabrics (the name came from combining the names of the founding families’ daughters) was more than a retailer — it was a launchpad for creativity.
No longer.
More recently known just as Joann, the longtime crafts and fabric retailer, is closing all 800 of its U.S. stores by the end of May after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in less than a year. The Ohio-based company had initially planned to close 500 stores, but after failing to secure a buyer, it entered liquidation proceedings, resulting in the loss of approximately 20,000 jobs nationwide, including hundreds working at the company’s 36 locations in Illinois.
Everything changes with time — we get it. But Joann’s imminent departure feels something like the end of an era, like a well-worn and well-loved bit of Americana is disappearing from the map.
And while Joann wasn’t an Illinois-based business, it did have a significant presence here, in addition to holding a special place in many Illinoisans’ hearts. We always hate to see another business go under. The truth is, it’s not just fabric and thread disappearing — it’s jobs, livelihoods and community connections. For many workers, Joann wasn’t just a part-time gig; it was a second family, a source of pride and a place where expertise was built and passed down.
Joann’s bankruptcy also serves as a reminder that even niche retailers with loyal customer bases aren’t immune from economic headwinds, particularly as foot traffic disappears and prices rise. The company’s history was a tortured procession of private and public ownership, poor stewardship by private equity firms, over-expansion and failure to adapt to the digital times. The notorious Lehman Bros. even became part of the Joann story at one point.
Still, if we want the next generation to know the joy of building something with their hands, we’d do well to support the spaces — both commercial and educational — where that can still happen. Even though Joann’s days are numbered, crafters still have other big chains, such as Hobby Lobby and Michaels. And lucky Chicago suburbanites have small businesses such as LindaZ’s Sewing Center in Arlington Heights, where knowledgeable staff connect savvy sewers, knitters and quilters with fabric and machinery, and Thimbles in Lockport, which still serves a loyal community of sewers and quilters too. Those local places aren’t just retailers; they teach, advise and inspire.
Alas, soon there will be no more pins in the cushion at either Jo-Ann Fabrics or Joann. Pity. Those stores sparked a lot of joy.
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